Kojiro
by Catstring
Summary: One day at the Kamiya Dojo there is a knock at the gate, a man looking for a place to stay for the night, and also looking for his long lost brother...Shinta?
1. Brothers

Disclamer: I do not own RuroKen. So please don't sue me.

Kojiro

It was a beautiful sunny day at the Kamiya Dojo, as usual Kaoru and Yahiko were training and Kenshin was doing the laundry. There was a sudden knock on the gate and Kaoru rushed over to answer it (not before ordering Yahiko to do 2,000 more strokes that is). Before the gate stood a rather short man with scruffy light brown hair and periwinkle blue eyes, not looking much over than 35.

"I'm very sorry to intrude miss, but all the inns are full and I must have a place to stay for at least a night." The man said bowing politely. "If it would be no trouble."

Kaoru looked at the man's kind face and slid the door out more widely to let him in, "It would be no trouble at all." Kaoru said smiling.

Kenshin heard someone knocking but felt no danger and let Kaoru take care of it, but when he heard the person come in he became more curious and abandoned his laundry to see who it was. As he neared them he heard their conversaion more clearly.

"So what brings you here sir?"

"Oh, I'm looking for my brother, they say he is in Tokyo."

"What is your brothers name?"

"Shinta, do you know him?"

"I-" but she got cut off, for at that moment Kenshin rushed in to the room room they were speaking in.

"Kojiro!" Kenshin cried out looking suprised and amazed. "Kojiro? Kenshin, do you know this man?" Kaoru asked, somewhat dazzled by his sudden outburst. Before she knew it the man called Kojiro went over and hugged Kenshin with all his might. "Shinta, my long lost brother, I finally get to see you!" Kenshin being suffocated by his older brother managed to smile, "Sessha is glad that you are alive that he is, Sessha was sure that all his brothers were wiped out by famine."

"I'm amased you are alive as well, you were always the weaker one in the family as you took from mother, it's a suprise you survived so long." Kojiro said with a quiet laugh. Kenshin wasn't sure if he should of taken that as a compliment, but he quickly waved the thought away and focused on celebrating his brothers arrival. He was about to propose the thought of going to the Akabeko for dinner but at that moment Yahiko came in having finished his training, and wondering what all the fuss was about.

"Hey, what's going on in here!" Yahiko exclaimed. Kojiro looked at the boy for a while and then said,"I'm so happy for you Shinta, you have a beautiful wife and son...a family."Kenshin blushed, "Their not-

"No,no. Don't express any pitty over me brother. I like this lonely life." Kojiro interupted. The red-haired former assassin sighed and was about to start again but Yahiko was already speaking. "Wait so you're Kenshin's brother, wow, you never told us you had a family Kenshin!"

"Well-" He was about to start again bu this time Kaoru butted in. "Let's all go to the Akabeko to celebrate!" "Yeah, finally some good food, not Busu's cooking from hell!" "What did you say you little brat!" "I said your food comes from hell, Busu!" Yahiko yelled running to the dojo. "Your gonna pay for that Yahiko-chan!" screamed Kaoru already close at Yahiko's heels and waving her bokken.

"Quite an energetic family you have." Said Kenshin's brother having watched thewhole ordeal. "Yes, sessha has been meaning to say that Kaoru-dono and I are not married and-" "Wait, are you telling me that-"

"No, not at all, sessha was mearly saying that sessha just lives here...and takes care of the chores." Kenshin added, hoping it would make him sound more useful.

At this same time three men were sitting in a run down cottage in the middle of the forest which lay rather close to the Kamiya residence.

"I saw him walk into the dojo, I think he's going to stay there for the night." said one of the men, he was tall and lean, dressed in the black costume of a ninja.

"Good, there aren't as many people as there would be if he stayed in an inn, less bodies to hide." Said another one dressed in the same ninja outfit.

"Then we shall attack tonight, "said the third one, who unlike the other two was dressed in the regular attire,"I don't want any mistakes, remember that I am paying you for this, if this mission does not turn out the way I want it, then your lives shall be forfiet to me. The only reason I'm not doing this is because I want to have a clean record, at least for now." He said darkly."That bastard shall pay for what he did to my father, I'll make sure of it!"

A/N: So, howd you like it? I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as i can. I realized that they don't have many fics about Kenshin's brothers so i decided to write this one. Pleeze R/R


	2. New Enemies

Disclaimer:I do not own RuroKen, so please don't sue me.

Kojiro

Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko and their newly aquired friend were starting off towards the Akabeko. As they walked Kojiro told the others that he just came back from China and that he lived there for most of the revolution, so he didn't know much about what happened in Japan, except that the shogunate lost. _That's why he doesn't know about me, about my part in the war,_ thought Kenshin, _It's probably better that way, but i admit it is annoying how he keeps bringing up my weakness. _Koji was just talking about their childhood and how he and Kenshin's father and other brother would always work in the fields, while little Shinta would stay inside with his mother.

"Well, that was only when sessha was young, later I helped with the farming that I did." Said Kenshin defending himself.

Koji laughed at his younger brother, "You don't have to be embarrassed Shinta, there are alot of people like you." Kenshin was starting to fume but before anyone could notice Kaoru spoke up. "Kojiro-san, I would like to know why you call Kenshin, Shinta."

"That's because Shinta is the name he was born with, I didn't know it was changed." Kojiro stated, "That reminds me, what's been going on since our parents died, I've heard you were given to some slave traders, but other then that, I have no idea what you've been doing all these years." There was a long silence after that. Kenshin thought hard on how he should answer this question, should he tell him the whole truth about his career during the revolution? "W-"

"You could tell him later Kenshin, were here." Yahiko cut in. Sure enough, they were now before the Akabeko, so they all walked in and Tae showed them to their table. Of course pouring over them with questions about the mysterious man with them. They all simply answered that it was a friend of theirs because each one of them knew if they had said it was Kenshin's brother that they would have to face another wave of questions.

Kojiro was just about to return to the subject about Kenshins past when they suddenly heard a familiar voice. "Come on Tae, just this one last time, I promise I'll pay back, please!" "This restaurant was't made for free-laoders, if you want to eat here, get a job!" The tall man sulked and started walking out of the Akabeko, but then some red hair caught his eye. "Oi, Kenshin!"

Kenshin had already known Sanosuke was from his little ecsapade, but took on a look of surprise anyway and called him over. "How are you doing Sano?" Kenshin asked, even though he knew the answer. "Not good Kenshin, I'm hungry, do you mind if I join your little party?"

"Yes!" Kaoru exclaimed, "You excpect me to pay for **your** food!" "Yes." A few minutes later Sanosuke finaly recovered from the many bruises and bumps he got from Kaoru and noticed the stranger sitting amongst his friends. "Who are you?" "Sanosuke! Show some more respect to Kenshin's brother!" Kaoru scolded.Sano's eyes widened at that, "I didn't know you had a brother Kenshin. I guess there is some resemblance." Kenshin and Kojiro looked at eachother, not convinced.

Sanosuke and Koji spent the rest of the time in the Akabeko discussing gambling for they both seemed to have a interest in it. By the time they were making their way back to the dojo, leaving Sano at the Akabeko fighting with Tae, they had completely forgoten about mentioning Kenshin's past.

It was dark now, and their was a new moon, so there was little light. Kenshin started feeling a little uneasy, thinking that the food wasn't agreeing with him he brushed the thought away. But soon the feeling started getting worse, and he realized someone was watching them, someone with bad intentions. All of the sudden he heard a whistle, but not the type a human makes but a..."Kojiro! Watch out!" Kenshin pushed his brother aside pulled his sword out and cut the arrow in two.

"Wow brother, where did you learn that?" But Kenshin couldn't answer because suddenly two figures in black came out of the bushes and one in regular japanese clothes. Kojiro recognized the common looking one and quickly stood before Kenshin and the others. He pulled out his sword that he bought the day he came back to Japan. "Stay back Shinta, Kaoru-san, Yahiko. This man is dangerous." Kojiro spoke quietly and boldly, but Kensin could see Kojiro's hands shaking at the hilt of his sword.

_It seems my brother is not the most skilled swordsman that it does, but it also seems that this is his fight. _Kenshin thought. He slid the sword back into the sheath, but kept his hands on it just in case it got ugly. The two black figures went towards his brother, they were shinobi, and skilled ones too. His brother tried to fight back, but before long one of the ninja slashed him across the shoulder. Kojiro fell to his knees, clutching the spot.

That was ugly enough for Kenshin, he charged towards the two assasins. "No Shinta don't, you'll get killed!!" Kenshin wasn't listening, one ninja was going toward his neck and the other for his legs. Kenshin dodged the man aiming for his neck with such speed that Kojiro suddenly lost sight of his brother. And before he knew it the man near Kenshin's legs was uncosious. Shinta must have hit him on the way down from dodging the other ninja.

The still consious ninja looked surprised and then stared at Kenshin horrified, for he had suddenly recognized him. "Hitokiri Battousai!!!!" The ninja fell to his knees and started pleading for his life. Kenshin put his sword back into its sheath and the ninja thanked him and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. The man in Japanese clothing stared after him in disgust, and then looked at Koji. "You passed my first test, or at least your friend did." He said looking at Kenshin. "Now I think I'll target you and your friends, you will pay for your crime, I'll make sure of it."

Koji lowered is head while Kaoru ran over to to check his wounds. He had alot of explaining to do...

A/N Hehe how'd you like it, i tried hard. Pleeze R/R!


	3. Pasts

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Pleeeeze don't sue! Pasts Kojiro sat clutching his shoulder, his kinomo sleeve almost completely soaked by his blood. Koaru ran over to him quickly tend to his wound temporarily until he was taken to Megumi (who had comeback from Aizu for a few months). Kojiro was astonished at his brothers skill, he's never seen, or even imagined anything like it. That speed! That percision! He thought, still not able to express his amazment oraly. What has my brother been going since we have been seperated? I think there is much more to him than I thought. Much more. "Thank you Kamiya-san. I think I can manage myself from here." Koji said after Koaru had put a makeshift bandage on his arm. As they walked to Megumi's clinic everyone was quiet, not wanting to disturb the other's thoughts. After Megumi took care of Kenshin's brother, she sat down along with everybody else and asked, "What happened here? Who did this to Kojiro-san? I have the feeling this wasn't just an accident." Kenshin looked at his brother. "I'd like to know the same." He said, leacing off the "sessha" for this was a serious matter. Kojiro started fidgiting, and immedietly looked down. He extremely embarrassed for putting the people who kindly brought him into their household in danger. Even more for not being even able to protect them, instead his weak littl-...no...he wasn't weak... Suddenly Koji's head snapped up. "Shinta, my brother, before I tell you my part behind those attacks, please, I must know what happened. What happened during the revolution?" Kenshin flinched, he was afraid of this. "I...well..." "He was an assassin working for the Ishinshishi!" Yahiko blurted out, irrated by the silence. Koji's eye's widened, "Weren't they opposing the shogun?" "Yup! Kenshin pretty much won the war for them." Yahiko said proudly. Kojiro's eye's widened even more. "Brother? Is this true?" Kenshin, blushing slightly said, "Some of it's is true. Sessha will tell you the story from the beggining." Kenshin explained about the robbers who attacked the slave traders. How Hiko saved him and then made him his disciple. He told about being chosen as assassin of the Ishin, and then about meeting Tomoe. When explaining her death, Kojiro's eye's watered, mumbling things like, "My poor brother" or "All this time" while shaking his head. Then told him about meeting Koaru, stressing that he was staying there only as a border, nothing else. At the end of his life's story, Kenshin took a deep breath. Having been talking for over an hour non stop. Well, with the exception of a few interuptions from Yahiko. Koaru and Megumi, even if having heard the story before, seemed as affected as the first time it was told. But most moved of all was Kojiro, who had been thinking his brother was a little somwhat dumb weakling of a brother. Now, he saw him in a new light, he looked at his brother in awe. He lived through so much, enough to have caused Kojiro himself to commit suicide after living just a second in the story's its emotional rollercousters. If not suicide killing him, it would have been one of Shinta's many many enemies during the war, and now even. Koji's thoughts were interrupted when his brother looked at him and asked the question that he had been dreading since he'd seen Shinji. "Now I want to know your story Kojiro. What was that all about?" Kenshin asked looking at his shoulder. Koji sighed and cleared his throut. "That man...I mean his father...was mother's fiancee." He said staring at Kenshin seriously. Kenshin's eyes widend, but I thought she had d-" "No, it was before she met father. However, before mother married that man she met our father and fell in love with him immedietly. She left her fiancee, and then married father instead." Kenshin nodded, taking in the story. "So this is a tale of jealousy, " Kenshin said thoughtfully. "In a way, but not completely," his brother responded, "Anyway, when our parents and oldest brother died, your were sold to the slave traders, I had ran away fearing that I would also have to become a slave. The trader's saw no one else at the house so I was pronounced me dead. Then I finally came back home, sure that I was safe." Kojiro suddenly lowered his head in dishonor. "What kind of borther am I, running away to save myself and not doing anything to protect my little brother." He bent his head to the ground, "Please, brother. Forgive me." Kenshin, smiled and brushed him off, "Please, it is all of the past. I am happy you did not have to go on with the slave traders. Do not stress yourself over things that are not worth your worry." Kojiro lifted his head of the ground and smiled back Kenshin, "Thank you Shinta." He sat himself in a more comfortable position and once again his face became as cold as stone. "At our home was mother's old fiancee, he said that the farm should have been his, and that it rightly belonged to him now that mother and father died. I remember him kicking mothers grave behind our house, he was saying terrible things about her. He then did the same to father. He started taunting their spirits, and before I knew it i had thrown a large rock at his head, rage had taken over my movements. He was an older man, and the blow killed him. His son, by another women who was dead also, had seen my act and swore that I would meet the same fate by his hands.I was a coward, and I ran away to Thailand with my tail between my legs." "And here you are now." Said Kenshin, looking at his brother. "What you did to Shinji's father was quite terrible, even if you were provoked. You should learn to keep down your emotions that you should. As I said before, it is all of the past. I know that you won't make a mistake like that again, and that you will let us help you." Kenshin lookde at Kojiro and smiled. Even after being lectured by his younger brother Kojiro bowed to Kenshin again, except not quite as low as the first time. "Thank you, Shinta." "Now!" Kaoru clapped her hands, wanting to break up the sudden silence. "I'm sure everyone is in the mood for a cup of tea. I'll go make one." "Yuuuuuck! Count me out! Busu even makes tea taste horrible" Kaoru pulled up her sleeve and balled her hand into a fist, "I told you not to say things like that in front of COMPANY!" Everybody winced as Kaoru's fist made contact with Yahiko's cheek, sending the boy flying to the otherside of the room. "Hmph! Such a rude and violent girl, beating on poor children like that, especially in front of company." The kendo instructor blushed, realizing what she had done. But soon the blush turned into a fiery rage. "Who do u think you are! Telling me off like that! I am a grown woman you know!" Megumi covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. "Grown women do not show their anger so easily." "Why I oughtta-!" Kenshin quickly put a hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "Tea sounds wonderful Kaoru-dono. I help you make it." Kaoru smiled and nodded, and followed Kenshin to the kitchen, suddenly calm and peaceful. "You're brother seems like a very nice man Kenshin." Kaoru said after the water was poured into the kettle an held over the fire. "Yes, sessha is very glad to have met him again. Sessha was sure he was dead, that he was." "What do you think about that Shinji guy Kenshin?" "He troubles me for some reason, todays fighter's where mediocre, but I have a feeling that there is danger on the way, grave danger." A/N I know it was short, I'll try to make the next chapter longer. Sorry! I haven't written for a while because my miscrosoft word was messed up. hehe 


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